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Finestwheat
09-03-2009, 04:20 AM
Many of us do not know about the martyrdom of many of the apostles of our Lord from the Acts of Apostles. However, the Foxs book of martyrs fills the vacuum in the book of the Acts. All the Christians should know about the martyrdom of the early apostles and of the other Christians whose blood continues to water the vines in the vineyard of God and to edify the Church, the body of Christ.

1) St. Stephen:
The martyrdom of was occasioned by the faithful manner in which he preached the Gospel to the betrayers and murderers of Christ as recorded in the 7th chapter of Acts. To such a degree of madness were they excited, that they cast him out of the city and stoned him to death. The time when he suffered is generally supposed to have been at the Passover, which succeeded to that of our Lord's crucifixion, and to the era of his ascension, in the following spring.

Upon this a great persecution was raised against all who professed their belief in Christ as the Messiah, or as a prophet. We are immediately told by St. Luke, "there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem;" and that "they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles."

About two thousand Christians, with Nicanor, one of the seven deacons, suffered martyrdom during the "persecution that arose about Stephen."

2) James the Great:
The next martyr we meet with, according to St. Luke, in the History of the Apostles' Acts, was James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John, and a relative of our Lord; for his mother Salome was cousin-germane to the Virgin Mary. It was not until ten years after the death of Stephen that the second martyrdom took place; for no sooner had Herod Agrippa been appointed governor of Judea, than, with a view to ingratiate himself with them, he raised a sharp persecution against the Christians, and determined to make an effectual blow, by striking at their leaders. The account given us by an eminent primitive writer, Clemens Alexandrinus, ought not to be overlooked; that, as James was led to the place of martyrdom, his accuser was brought to repent of his conduct by the apostle's extraordinary courage and undauntedness, and fell down at his feet to request his pardon, professing himself a Christian, and resolving that James should not receive the crown of martyrdom alone. Hence they were both beheaded at the same time. Thus did the first apostolic martyr cheerfully and resolutely receive that cup, which he had told our Savior he was ready to drink. Timon and Parmenas suffered martyrdom about the same time; the one at Philippi, and the other in Macedonia. These events took place A.D. 44.

3) Philip:
Philip was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee and was first called by the name of "disciple." He labored diligently in Upper Asia, and suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified, A.D. 54.

4) Mathew:
Mathew whose occupation was that of a toll-gatherer was born at Nazareth. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew, which was afterwards translated into Greek by James the Less. The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60.

5) James the Less:
James is supposed by some to have been the brother of our Lord, by a former wife of Joseph. This is very doubtful, and accords too much with the Catholic superstition, that Mary never had any other children except our Savior. He was elected to the oversight of the churches of Jerusalem; and was the author of the Epistle ascribed to James in the sacred canon. At the age of ninety-four he was beat and stoned by the Jews; and finally had his brains dashed out with a fuller's club.

6) Matthias:
Matthias of whom less is known than of most of the other disciples, was elected to fill the vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.

7) Andrew:
Andrew was the brother of Peter. He preached the gospel to many Asiatic nations; but on his arrival at Edessa he was taken and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground. Hence the derivation of the term, St. Andrew's Cross.

8) Mark:
Mark was born of Jewish parents of the tribe of Levi. He is supposed to have been converted to Christianity by Peter, whom he served as an amanuensis, and under whose inspection he wrote his Gospel in the Greek language. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria, at the great solemnity of Serapis their idol, ending his life under their merciless hands.

9) Peter:
Among many other saints, the blessed apostle Peter was condemned to death, and crucified, as some do write, at Rome; albeit some others, and not without cause, do doubt thereof. Hegesippus saith that Nero sought matter against Peter to put him to death; which, when the people perceived, they entreated Peter with much ado that he would fly the city. Peter, through their importunity at length persuaded, prepared himself to avoid. But, coming to the gate, he saw the Lord Christ come to meet him, to whom he, worshipping, said, "Lord, whither dost Thou go?" To whom He answered and said, "I am come again to be crucified." By this, Peter, perceiving his suffering to be understood, returned into the city. Jerome tells us that he was crucified, his head being down and his feet upward, himself so requiring, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord was.

10) Paul:
Paul, the apostle, who before was called Saul, after his great travail and unspeakable labors in promoting the Gospel of Christ, suffered also in this first persecution under Nero. Abdias declareth that under his execution Nero sent two of his esquires, Ferega and Parthemius, to bring him word of his death. They, coming to Paul instructing the people, desired him to pray for them, that they might believe; who told them that shortly after they should believe and be baptized at His sepulcher. This done, the soldiers came and led him out of the city to the place of execution, where he, after his prayers made, gave his neck to the sword.

11) Jude:
Jude, the brother of James was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa, A.D. 72.

12) Bartholomew:
Bartholomew preached in several countries, and having translated the Gospel of Matthew into the language of India, he propagated it in that country. He was at length cruelly beaten and then crucified by the impatient idolaters.

13) Thomas:
Thomas, called Didymus, preached the Gospel in Parthia and India, where exciting the rage of the pagan priests, he was martyred by being thrust through with a spear.

14) Luke:
Luke, the evangelist was the author of the Gospel, which goes under his name. He traveled with Paul through various countries, and is supposed to have been hanged on an olive tree, by the idolatrous priests of Greece.

15) Simon:
Simon, surnamed Zelotes preached the Gospel in Mauritania, Africa, and even in Britain, in which latter country he was crucified, A.D. 74.

16) John:
John, the "beloved disciple," was brother to James the Great. He founded the churches of Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira. From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian afterwards banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.

17) Barnabas:
Barnabas was of Cyprus, but of Jewish descent. His death is supposed to have taken place about A.D. 73. And yet, notwithstanding all these continual persecutions and horrible punishments, the Church daily increased, deeply rooted in the doctrine of the apostles, and watered plenteously with the blood of saints.

everstill
09-03-2009, 04:38 AM
There are traditions that have been handed down through the centuries, claiming that most of the original 12 Apostles (http://www.about-jesus.org/twelve-apostles.htm) were martyred for their beliefs. The interactive graphic below shows the outcomes for each of the Apostles, according to various traditions and other sources. The graphic uses the famous painting, The Last Supper, by Leonardo da Vinci.

The New Testament (http://www.about-jesus.org/bible.htm) of the Bible (http://www.about-jesus.org/bible.htm) records events that took place from the birth of Jesus (http://www.about-jesus.org/jesus.htm) Christ up through the time that Paul (http://www.about-jesus.org/paul.htm) and the Apostles (http://www.about-jesus.org/twelve-apostles.htm) were traveling around the Roman Empire (http://www.about-jesus.org/roman-empire.htm) and evangelizing Christianity, at great risk to their own personal safety. The New Testament records few if any events after the 60s. Many of the Apostles were still alive at that time.

However, there are writings, outside of the Bible, that have been handed down to us by people who lived during the second, third and fourth centuries of this era, claiming that many of the Apostles were crucified (http://www.about-jesus.org/crucifixion.htm), beheaded and otherwise martyred for their beliefs.

It should be understood that these non-Biblical sources might vary greatly in terms of their accuracy.

It should also be understood that it is clear from the Bible and from non-Biblical sources that many early Christians were persecuted and martyred for their beliefs.

Some examples include the Bible's New Testament book of Acts (http://www.about-jesus.org/acts.htm), which records the martyrdom of the Apostle James (http://www.about-jesus.org/james.htm) the son of Zebedee, and of Stephen (http://www.about-jesus.org/stephen.htm), a believer who was killed while evangelizing.

Another example comes from Josephus, a first century Jewish historian, who wrote about another person named James (http://www.about-jesus.org/james.htm), an early Christian church leader, who was executed because of his beliefs. Josephus wrote in his book called Antiquities of the Jews, book 20 (or book XX), chapter 9:

"Festus (http://www.about-jesus.org/festus.htm) was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned ... "

There are other examples. As for the Apostles, below is a summary of various traditions involving the manner of death for the Apostles. For convenience, the Apostles are listed in the same order in which they appear in Leonardo's famous painting, The Last Supper:

Bartholomew
There is a non-Biblical document called the "Martyrdom of Bartholomew (http://www.about-jesus.org/bartholomew.htm)," which claims that Bartholomew was martyred by King Astyages in Armedia:

"And when he had thus spoken, the king was informed that this god Baldad and all the other idols had fallen down, and were broken in pieces. Then the king rent the purple in which he was clothed, and ordered the holy apostle Bartholomew to be beaten with rods; and after having been thus scourged, to be beheaded." - Martyrdom of Bartholomew.

Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Apostles (http://www.about-jesus.org/twelve-apostles.htm) and is mentioned in the Bible's New Testament, in Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; and Acts 1:13.

According to Eusebius, Christian writer who lived during the 4th Century of this era (about 1600 years ago), Bartholomew traveled to India to preach to the people there, leaving behind a copy of the Gospel of Matthew (http://www.about-jesus.org/matthew.htm): "Pantaenous is said to have gone among the Indians where a report is that he discovered there the Gospel according to St. Matthew among some who knew Christ; Bartholomew, one of the Apostles had preached to them and had left them the writings of St. Matthew in Hebrew letters."

James son of Alphaeus
James son of Alphaeus, according to Foxs' Book of Martyrs, was beaten, stoned and clubbed to death.

Andrew
Andrew (http://www.about-jesus.org/andrew.htm) might have been martyred in Achaia (http://www.about-jesus.org/achaia.htm) or Patrae, both of which are places in the western part of Greece. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "It is generally agreed that he was crucified by order of the Roman Governor, Aegeas or Aegeates, at Patrae in Achaia, and that he was bound, not nailed, to the cross, in order to prolong his sufferings. The cross on which he suffered is commonly held to have been the decussate cross, now known as St. Andrew's, though the evidence for this view seems to be no older than the fourteenth century. His martyrdom took place during the reign of Nero (http://www.about-jesus.org/nero.htm), on 30 November, A.D. 60); and both the Latin and Greek Churches keep 30 November as his feast."

Peter
It is believed that Peter (http://www.about-jesus.org/peter.htm) was crucified upside down in Rome during the 60s.

Judas
Judas Iscariot (http://www.about-jesus.org/judas-iscariot.htm) was not a martyr. He killed himself after betraying Jesus.

John
John (http://www.about-jesus.org/john-the-apostle.htm) is believed to have died of natural causes, and he might have been the only Apostle to have done so.

Jesus
Jesus was falsely accused by local religious leaders and crucified by the Romans. He was resurrected, meaning he returned to life.

Thomas
Thomas (http://www.about-jesus.org/thomas.htm) was killed with a spear, according to Foxs' Book of Martyrs: "Called Didymus, preached the Gospel in Parthia and India, where exciting the rage of the pagan priests, he was martyred by being thrust through with a spear."

James son of Zebedee
The martyrdom of James son of Zebedee is recorded in the New Testament of the Bible, in Acts 12:1-2. He was executed, with a sword, by order of King Herod Agrippa I in the year 44 AD:

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. - Acts 12:1-2.

We also learn in Acts, chapter 12, that King Herod Agrippa I also imprisoned Peter for a while.

Philip
Philip (http://www.about-jesus.org/philip.htm) was crucified, according to Foxs' Book of Martyrs: "He labored diligently in Upper Asia, and suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified, A.D. 54."

Matthew
Matthew (http://www.about-jesus.org/matthew-the-apostle.htm) was killed with a spear, according to Foxs' Book of Martyrs: "The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60."

Thaddeus (Jude)
Jude (http://www.about-jesus.org/jude.htm) was crucified, according to Foxs' Book of Martyrs: "The brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa, A.D. 72."

Simon
Simon was crucified, according to Foxs' Book of Martyrs: "Surnamed Zelotes, preached the Gospel in Mauritania, Africa, and even in Britain, in which latter country he was crucified, A.D. 74."

AlwaysLoved
09-03-2009, 04:54 AM
The Twelve
Judas Iscariot, originally one of the Twelve, died after the death of Jesus. Matthew 27:5 says that he hanged himself, and Acts 1:18 says that he fell, burst open, and his "bowels gushed out." Matthias was elected to take his place as one of the twelve.

According to Christian tradition:

Peter (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Saint_Peter), crucified upside-down in Rome circa 64 A.D.
James, son of Zebedee (http://biblocality.com/wiki/James,_son_of_Zebedee) was beheaded (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Decapitation) in 44 (http://biblocality.com/wiki/44) A.D., first of the twelve to die (since the addition of Matthias)
John, son of Zebedee (http://biblocality.com/wiki/John_the_Apostle), natural causes due to old age, last of the twelve to die, only one of the twelve (or 13 counting Judas Isacariot) to die naturally (as mentioned by Christ at the end of his (John) Gospel.)
Andrew (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Saint_Andrew), Peter's brother, was crucified upon a diagonal cross (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Saltire).
Philip (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Philip_the_Apostle) was crucified in 54 (http://biblocality.com/wiki/54) A.D.
Bartholomew (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Saint_Bartholomew) (also known as Nathaniel) was flayed alive (skinned) and then beheaded; some sources locate his death at Derbend on the Caspian Sea.[1] (http://biblocality.com/forums/#cite_note-0)
Matthew (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Matthew_the_Evangelist) killed by a halberd (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Halberd) in 60 (http://biblocality.com/wiki/60) A.D.
Thomas (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Thomas_the_Apostle) was killed by a spear in Mylapore, Madras, India in AD 72.
James, son of Alphaeus (http://biblocality.com/wiki/James,_son_of_Alphaeus), beaten to death with a club after being crucified and stoned.
Saint Jude (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Saint_Jude) was crucified.
Simon the Zealot (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Simon_the_Zealot) was crucified in 74 A.D.
Judas Iscariot (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Judas_Iscariot), according to the gospels, hanged himself after betraying Jesus.
Matthias (http://biblocality.com/wiki/Saint_Matthias), Judas' replacement, was stoned and beheaded.